About running: I'm Going For It

Bear with the mental jambalaya to follow if you dare. I have no organization in mind — just a lot of optimistic energy about life. There’s so much to love about life these days.

Exercise

Behold the suit I bought for this Saturday’s indoor “baby triathlon” — Rachael was kind enough to accompany me to the swim shop where her mom works, and they both helped me make sense of the world aquatic. I also bought some goggles and a “fun swim cap” (the store’s words, not mine). The suit is flashy, but flashy = perfect when you have no clue what you’re doing.

There's no backing out now!

Just so I don’t embarrass myself any more than necessary, I might go over to my dad’s gym and see if they’ll let me buy a day pass to use the lap pool tomorrow. <>

That’s one thing I’m “going for” in the near future. I must admit that an item on my “life list” is to complete an Ironman one day like pen, so I might as well get started.

Another “go for it decision” I made today has to do with other types of races. I have quite a few runner friends whose racing calendars are so well planned out that . . . well, they’re almost intimidating. For instance, Annie just ran the Disney Marathon and did an amazing job. MarathonMaiden is too amazing for words with her Boston training. Ladies like these have inspired me to put a couple of races on the calendar. After my Year of No Races (2009), I decided it’s time to go for it.

I’m still fairly conservative about my athletic goals (perhaps I doubt myself? Silly!), but I think the following two races are doable. And I registered for #1 in the past five minutes, so it’s happening (barring any freak accidents like the Luau Foot Break of 2007)! I will register for #2 on February 1 along with a skillion other people.

#1: Flying Pig Half Marathon – Cincinnati, Ohio

#2: Chicago Marathon – if you have to ask where that is, I will giggle again

Woohoo — I’m going for it! As of next week, I’ll have 13 weeks until the half. Maybe I’ll go crazy and use a training plan. Today, buoyed by excitement, I ran 6 miles in the early afternoon and 5 in the evening.

Federal Court Fun

Oh, how I love my intern-in-an-externship experience thus far. It’s a rush being in the federal courthouse, plain and simple. The Judge was there on Thursday, and although I’d met him before, it was once again intimidating-yet-awesome to be in chambers while he was there. You’d expect any federal judge to have quite a presence about him, but his is a very quiet, collected presence. His voice is very deep and quiet, and you definitely take note of what he says.

I might have mentioned that I am working on one civil rights and one criminal case this semester. They will both be heard by the __th Circuit Court of Appeals on February 11 and 12, and I was given the green light to come and watch. Super! I’m going for it! I’ve seen them on TV before, but not in person — and more importantly, I’ve never had to write a bench memo to the panel recommending what they do on the cases. And this time, yeah, that’s what I will be doing. No turning back now!

Law Review

Yet again, I’m going for it. Executive board interviews are next weekend, and I’m going to apply for all but one of the positions. I normally don’t verbalize my true desires because I’m afraid they won’t materialize, but I have nothing to fear. What I want is to be Editor-in-Chief. I realize that anything can happen, and I certainly don’t presume that I’ll be chosen, but I’m going to give it my all. Plus, I know none of my readers would laugh at me if I didn’t get it. Correction: If you did laugh at me, you’d be kind enough not to tell me.